IAREADME.txt explains the layout of IA.xls, IA.csv and IA.zip (xls is the Microsoft Excel
version, csv is the comma separated variable version, and zip is the zipped version of the .csv
version and this readme file).  These files contain Iowa precinct election data from the 2000
federal and state legislative general elections as well as votes on a constitutional amendment.

Use and Attribution: All data are free and may be distributed as long as no charge is imposed and
this readme file is included with the data.  If you use the data, please include this citation: David
Lublin and D. Stephen Voss. 2001.  "Federal Elections Project." American University,
Washington, DC and the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.  We would greatly appreciate
it if you would mail us hard copies of any paper written utilizing these data sets. You can send
copies to: David Lublin, Department of Government, School of Public Affairs, American
University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016. 

Funding for the Federal Elections Project was provided by the Political Science Program of the
Division of Social and Economic Sciences of the National Science Foundation (Award
#99-85999).

Case Identification:
CID is a unique case identification number used by the Federal Elections Project.

Geographic Identification:
STFIPS is the State FIPS Code (19 for Iowa).
CTYFIPS is the County FIPS Code.
CTYNAME is the county name.
PRECINCT is the text name of the precinct or voting district.
HD is the state house district number.
SD is the state senate district number.
CD is the congressional district number.


Votes for US President:
GORE is votes for Al Gore (Democrat).   
BUSH is votes for George W. Bush (Republican).    
NADER is votes for Ralph Nader (Green). 
PRESSC is the scattering of votes for all other candidates.


Votes for U.S. House:
CONGDEM is total votes for the Democratic candidate.
     Bob Simpson in District 1.
     Donna L. Smith in District 2.
     Leonard L. Boswell in District 3.
     Michael L. Huston in District 4.
     Mike Palecek in District 5.
CONGREP is total votes for the Republican candidate.
     Jim Leach in District 1.
     Jim Nussle in District 2.
     Jay Marcus in District 3.
     Greg Ganske in District 4.
     Tom Latham in District 5.
CONGOTH and CONGSC report total votes for the remaining candidates.  Unfortunately, the
distribution of votes between those two labels is not consistent across counties/districts.

Votes on Constitutional Amendment:
AMENDYES is votes in favor of calling a state constitutional convention (which occurs in Iowa
every decade).
AMENDNO is votes against calling a state constitutional convention.

Votes for State Senate:

Note: The senate has staggered terms; Only even-numbered districts were up for grabs in 2000.

SSDEM is votes in favor of Democratic candidate.
SSREP is votes in favor of Republican candidate.
SSOTH and SSSC are votes in favor of third-part and independent candidates.  Unfortunately,
the distribution of votes between those two labels is not consistent across counties/districts.

Votes for State House:
SHDEM is votes in favor of Democratic candidate.
SHREP is votes in favor of Republican candidate.
SHOTH and SHSC are votes in favor of third-party and independent candidates.  Unfortunately,
the distribution of votes between those two labels is not consistent across counties/districts.

The Federal Election Project is working on clarifying the exact distribution of votes for
third-party and independent candidate votes.  When this is completed, the data file and
README file will both be updated to reflect the more-comprehensive amount of information.